Trunk-drawer construction



- A ril's, 1924;

G. H WH EARY TRUNK DRAWER CONSTRUCTION Filed July 9, 192.0

Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES trans PATENT oFFicE.

' 'GEORGE HENRY WHEARY, O'F RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNO'R TO W'HEARY-BTJRGE TRUNK COMPANY, OF RAG'INE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

TRUNK-DRAWER- CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed July 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HENRY VVHEARY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Drawer Construction, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a. part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trunk drawer construction.

Wardrobe trunks are usually divided vertically centrally into twosections to form a drawer section and a wardrobe section, the wardrobe section being provided with slida-ble drawerspositioned one above the other. The wood of which the drawers are made is usually of sufficient thickness to permit the nailing of the corner edges together by nails driven lengthwise into the parts, and while said edge portions are also glued together, the joints are not very strong and ofttimes break or separate. Furthermore, in use the wood of which the trunk and drawers are formed shrinks, swells and warps so that in order to permit the drawers to slide freely at all times it is necessary to provide considerable clearance between the drawers and the trunk section.

While this clearance is necessary, it is also very objectionable in that the front portions of the drawers do not fit snugly and may extend closer to one side than the other and present an unsightly and unfinished appearance. Also, during transportation the considerable space permits the drawers to rattle and pound against the trunk section and thereby'unduly wear the parts and disturb the contents of the drawers.

It is oneof the objects of the present invention to overcome the before mentioned objectionable features and provide a drawer construction in which the driving of nails into the edge portions of the drawer parts is eliminated and said parts are connected together by corner members and nails or rivets driven transversely through the parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trunk drawer construction in which the drawer is formed in part of sheet metal shaped to be easily connected to other portions of the. drawer.

A further object of the invention is to 1920. Serial No. 395,114.

provide a trunk drawer construction in which the drawers are freely slidably mounted in the trunk section and when in closed position are held snugly and firmly in alined position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drawer construction in which the means for maintaining the drawers in position also serve to fasten the drawer parts together and reinforce the corner edge portions of the drawers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trunk drawer construction in which the means for maintaining the drawers in position also serve as a guide means for centrally positioning the drawers in the trunk section.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trunk drawerconstruction which is of simple construction, is strong and durable and is well adapted for the purpose described.

, l-Vith the above and other objects in View,

the invention consists of the improved trunk drawer construction and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the] same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a trunk indicates a side portion of the drawer section of a wardrobe trunk in which the im proved drawers 6 (only one being shown) are slidably positioned and supported. The improved drawer .6 is of rectangular shape and its rear member 7, side members 8 and bottom member 9 are preferably formed of thin wood or other suitable material, and the front member 10 which is preferably formed of aluminum has its bottom and opposite side edge portions bent rearwardly at right angles to the front portion and are offset inwardly to form flanges 11 which bear against the front outer side edge portions of the bottom and side members Fi and 9 of the drawer and are-rigidly connected thereto by rivets or nails 12 extending transversely, therethrough. The inwardly offset flanges 11 form front extensions 10 which project beyond the sides and bottom portions of the drawer proper, and are connected to said flanges 11 by beveled guide portions 13. 'These guide portions serve to guide and position the drawer centrally in the drawer space 14; of the trunk section, and the extensions 10' maintain the drawer in its inner central position.

The outer edge portions of the drawer front is of a size to snugly fit the drawer space, whereas the drawer proper is comparatively small or is a very loose fit so that it will not be bound or held by the warping, shrinking or expansion of the parts. tion, the outer edges will bear against the inner surfaces of the walls of the drawer space and firmly hold the drawer in alined position with relation to the other drawers.

In order to reinforce the front opposite side and bottom edges of the drawer a U- shaped rod 15 is positioned in the space formed by the offset portion of the front and bottom and side members of the drawer before said part-s are secured together,

lapped and connected together by angled" strips 16, preferably formed of metal, and rivets or nails 12 which extend transversely through the strips and the drawer members. Said angled strips are formed with outwardly projecting and longitudinally extending ribs 17 which reinforce the corner joints of the drawer and also serve as rounded bearingsand guiding means for the drawer as they bear against the bottom and opposite side portions of the trunk section.

The front portion of the drawer is provided with handles or pulls 18 for. convenience in opening and closing the drawer. From the foregoing description, it will beseen that the front, rear, bottom and sideportions of the drawer are all connected. together by rivets or nails which extend transversely through the respective parts thus forming a more rigidstructure and avoiding splitting the wood. Furthermore, the corner edge connecting means also serve as guiding, positioning and reinforcing means for the drawer and gives a more ornate appearance thereto.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A trunk drawer, cbmprising a rear member and a bottom member and opposite side members having their edge portions adjacent to form a drawer part with a topand a front opening, a front member closing the front opening and having inwardly When the drawer is in closed posi offset flange portions which engage the bottom and side members and are secured thereto by means extending transversely through said members, and angled strips overlapping the adjacent edges of the rear and the bottom and the side members and secured thereto by means extending transversely throu h the members.

2. 5i trunk drawer, comprising a rear member and a bottom member and opposite side members having their edge portions adjacent to form a drawer part with a top and a front opening,-a front member closing the front opening and having inwardly offset fiange portions which engage the bottom and side members and are secured there to by means extending transversely through said members, the inwardly offset flange portion forming beveled guides, and angled strips overlapping the adjacent edges of the rear and the bottom and the side members and secured thereto by means extending transversely through the members, said strips formed with longitudinally extending reinforcing and guiding means.

3. A trunk drawer, comprising a, rear member and a bottom member and opposite side members having their edge portions ad jacent to form a drawer part with a top and a front opening, angled strips overlapping.

the adjacent edge portions of the members and secured thereto by means extending transversely through the members, said strips having longltudinally extendlng and outwardly pro eetmg reinforcing and good- ,ing ribs, and a front member closing the front opening and having inwardly offset flange portions which engage the bottom and side members and are secured thereto by means extending transversely through the said members, the inwardly oflset flange portions forming beveled guides.

4.-A trunk drawer, comprising a rear member. and a bottom member and opposite sidemembers having their edge portions adjacent to form a drawer part with a top and a front opening, angled strips overlapping the adjacent edge portions of the members and secured thereto by means extending transversely through the members, said strips having longitudinally extending and outwardly projecting reinforcing and guiding ribs, a front member closing the front opening and having inwardly offset flange portions which engage the'bottom and side. members and are secured thereto by means extending transversely through the. said. members, the inwardly offset flange portions forming beveled guides, and a reinforcing member interposed between the beveled por tions and some of the other members.

5. A trunk drawer, comprising a rear member and a bottom member and'opposite side members having their ed e portions adacent to form a drawer part with atop and a front opening, angled strips overlapping the adjacent edge portions of the members and secured thereto by means extending transversely through the members, said strips having longitudinally extending and outwardly projecting reinforcing and guiding ribs, a front member closing the front opening and having inwardly offset flange portions which engage the bottom and side members and are secured thereto by means extending ,transversely through the said members, the inwardly offset flange portions forming beveled guides, and a U- shaped reinforcing bar interposed between the beveled portions and the bottom and side members. 6. A trunk drawer, comprising a rear, a bottom and opposite side members connected together to form a drawer part with an open front, and a front member formed of sheet metal and having its opposite side and bottom edge portions flanged and offset inwardly and connected to the forward portions of the side and bottom members by means extending transversely through the member, portions of the front member projecting outwardly from the drawer and be ing connected to the flange portions by angled parts forming guides.

7. A trunk drawer, comprising a rear, a bottom and opposite side members connected together to form a drawer part with an open front, a front member formed of sheet metal and having its opposite side and botton edge portions flanged and offset inwardly and connected to the forward portions of the side and bottom members by means extending transversely through the member, portions of the front member projecting outwardly from the drawer and being connected to the flange portions by angled parts forming guides, and a U- shaped reinforcing bar interposed between the beveled portions and the bottom and side members.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

GEORGE HENRY WHEARY. 

